2. Outline
• Definition , types of Wound
• Purposes of Wound Dressing
• Types of Wound dressing
• Practice Guidelines
• Things to remember
3. Wound
• an injury to living tissue caused by a cut, blow, or other impact, typically
one in which the skin is cut or broken.
Types of Wounds:
A – Intentional – therapeutic
1. Surgical operations
2. Venipuncture
B – Unintentional – accidental; caused by trauma
1. Open – skin or mucous membranes surface is broken
2. closed – tissues are traumatized without a break in the skin
4. Purposes of Wound Dressing
1. Protect wound from mechanical injury and microbial contamination
2. Provide or maintain moist wound healing
3. Provide thermal insulation
4. Absorb drainage or debride a wound
5. Prevent hemorrhage
6. Holding medication in place
5. Types of Wound Dressing
Types and sizes of dressing differ depends on:
• Location, size and type of wound
• amount of exudate
• Whether the wound requires debridement or is infected
• Frequency of dressing change, ease or difficulty of dressing
application and cost
1. Gauze dressing: highly absorbent nature makes them ideal
for covering fresh wound (bleeding)
6. 2. Transparent dressing: (OP-Site) allow to assess wounds
including ulcerated or burned skin areas. Commonly are
used to cover peripheral ¢ral IV.
Advantages:
• Act as temporary skin
• Non porous, non absorbent; self adhesive, does not
require changing; often left in place until healing has
occurred or as long as it remains intact
• Wound can be assessed
• Wound remains moist
• Can be placed over a joint because it is elastic
• Adhere only to the skin around the wound, not on the
wound itself
• Client can shower or bath without removing the dressing
7. 3. Hydrocolloid dressing: (DuoDerm) air-and water-occlusive
coverings; used over pressure ulcer. Keep wound moist which is
help in healing process. May left for 1week.
Advantages: Limitations
Lasts 3-7 days Occlusive, opaque, obscure wound visibility
Water resistant; don’t need a cover Limited absorption capacity
Act as temporary skin
Can be molded to uneven skin
Can facilitate aerobic microbial growth
Decrease pain reducing the need
for analgesics
Can soften and wrinkle the edges with wear
and tear movement
Difficult to remove and may leave a residue
on the skin
Should not be used for infected wounds or
those with deep tracts or fistulas
8. Practice Guidelines
1. Follow standard precautions for personal protection.
2. Use solutions (isotonic saline, wound cleanser) to clean or irrigate
wounds
3. Use gauze squares. Avoid using cotton balls and other products that
shed fibers onto the wound surface
4. To retain wound moisture, avoid drying a wound after cleaning it
5. Hold cleaning sponges with forceps or with a sterile gloved hands
6. Clean the wound in an outward direction
7. Consider not cleaning the wound at all if it appears to be clean
9. Things to remember
▪ Keep unused dressings in the original package
or other closed plastic package
▪ Store dressings in a clean, dry place
▪ Throw out the entire package if any dressings
get wet, contaminated, or dirty
▪ Place soiled gloves and wrappers in disposal
bag, tie or seal the bag, and discard
▪ Clean scissors and forceps with alcohol before
and after each use
